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Guidance

Welcome to the New York City Department of Education Guidance Portal!   School counselors are a unique group of educators who collaborate with all members of the school community to positively impact the academic achievement, postsecondary preparedness, and personal-social development of New York City public school students. We thank the school community for visiting the Guidance Portal regularly!

School Counselors Make a Difference in NYC Public Schools...

"Ms. Joubert is not only a guidance counselor and college advisor - she is also a life mentor to our children. Ms. Joubert and the entire guidance staff partner with teachers, parents, and students...it is because of this type of collaboration that we are able to see success in our students. Ms. Joubert is indeed an asset to the Truman community,” says Principal Nasser. Featured: Ms. Sana Nasser, Principal (left) and Ms. Andrea Joubert, Guidance Counselor (right) at Harry S. Truman High School, Bronx, NY

“Mr. Oramas is a vital part of our school community. On a good day his office is filled with students learning to share and interact with each other. But on a typical day, the counselor provides a safe haven for students who may need help that is potentially life saving. The role of the counselor should never be underestimated,” says Parent Coordinator Madeline Seide. Featured: Ms. Madeline Seide, Parent Coordinator & Mr. Giovanni Oramas, Guidance Counselor at PS 10 Magnet School of Math, Science and Design Technology, Brooklyn, NY

For Inquiries about the Guidance Portal email Guidance@schools.nyc.gov
Schools provide comprehensive support services providing a range of opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be effective learners and contributing members of the school community. In collaboration with all stakeholders of the educational process, school counselors are committed to the educational and emotional development of all students. Services provided by counselors address the interrelated areas of academic, postsecondary, and personal-social development.

  • Academic Planning: ensuring that students, families, and the entire school community are familiar with promotion and graduation standards, and that students pursue a rigorous instructional program aligned to their academic needs
  • Postsecondary Planning: ensuring that students and families are aware of the range of secondary and postsecondary schools and programs available, and have the opportunity to plan for and make informed choices regarding their secondary and post-secondary pathways
  • Personal-Social Development: ensuring that all students have the opportunity to develop their social-emotional competencies, make positive contributions to the school and surrounding community, and become equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to support a healthy and productive future

Professional School Counseling

School Counseling Frameworks (2011) - A presentation outline recently prepared by the School Counseling Frameworks Committee, a collaborative effort of the NYC Department of Education and the UFT Guidance Chapter. This downloadable resource illustrates an overview of the function of Professional School Guidance Counselors within the context of contemporary comprehensive school counseling and guidance frameworks. Inquiries pertaining to this resource may be directed to Guidance@schools.nyc.gov 

School Guidance Counselors in NYC Public Schools (2006) - A brochure developed by the NYC Department of Education and the UFT Guidance Chapter providing a brief, illustrative overview of the school counseling function in NYC public schools.

ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors

ASCA School Counselor Competencies

ASCA video clip focusing on the topic of
School Counselor-Principal Partnership. Also, access here video clip (Jan 2009) capturing words by Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers (R-MI) regarding the important contribution of school counselors nationwide.

NYSED Part 100 Regulations [100.2 General School Requirements
-Guidance Programs]

Recent NYSSCA statement  in support of school counselors state-wide. Every student deserves access to a professional school counselor! 

The Counseling Profession - a handy CollegeBoard webpage for High School Counselors and College Advisors, including Year-End To-Do List, Creating your School Profile, Creating Handbooks and Newsletters, Supporting a College-Going Culture (view the PDF document Creating a College-Going Culture Guide), College Application Checklist for Students, and much more!

Congratulations! to the twenty-five exceptional school guidance counselors honored on May 25th 2011 at the 25th Annual Guidance Counselor Recognition Award Ceremony held at the Tweed building. Event details appeared highlighted May 26, 2011.  View archived showcase here.

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School and Community Highlights

New! 2012 NYSED School Administrator's Manual - Recently updated NYS resource
intended for school administrators and counselors including general information pertaining to Regents, RCTs and Second Language Proficiency Testing.
The CollegeBoard Advocay & Policy Center's National Office of School Counseling Advocacy (NOSCA) present an overview of the findings of a recent national study surveying over 5,000 middle and high school counselors.  Access recorded webinar here. View additional archived webinars here. 
CUNY Counselor Newsletter  - Providing important updates for high school counselors and college advisors!
CUNY Start -a low-cost alternative to typical remedial classes, is a full-time, intensive program for new CUNY students needing preparation in reading, writing and math before entering credit classes. Learn more by visiting the CUNY website here.
New! Health Information Tools for Empowerment (HITE) http://www.hitesite.org/ is a resource for medical, mental health and related services in New York. Click on Search for Programs and Resources for the School, Youth and Family “button” which provides a wealth of resources in areas such as: after-school programs/youth groups, child car/day care, counseling for children, domestic abuse/victims’ services, early childhood education, family financial and welfare services, home-based family support, LGBTQ services, mentoring, parenting support, psychological testing for youth, summer youth programs, and tutoring.
The New York Urban League- providing information about employment, education, health care, housing, and the civic arena. Recommended resource: A Parent's Guide to College. Information on how to use the parent guide will be presented during upcoming Parent Academies: October 15 (Bronx), October 17 (Staten Island), October 19 (Queens), October 24 (Brooklyn), and November 2 (Manhattan).
HESC's special FAFSA Assistance Hotline- Inform students and parents if they have questions about the FAFSA: Call the FAFSA Hotline, 1-800-808-1790 Wednesdays from 12 noon - 6:00 pm and email FAFSAhelp@hesc.org. 
Respect For All Resources The importance of promoting respect for diversity in our daily practice is vital to creating and sustaining an inclusive school climate and culture in each of our schools so that all students feel valued, supported and safe. Resources, including websites that offer free curricular, video and other classroom resources, professional development opportunities, fact sheets, research and other materials are available through the intranet at Respect For All Resources.
The Mayor's Fund is fundraising for efforts to help U.S. southern states affected by recent tornados and those affected in Japan by the earthquake and tsunami.  Access donation information here. School staff may visit the Office of School and Youth Development webpage for additional resources.
Learning Leaders College Planning Program offers high schools and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) the opportunity to request placement of a trained volunteer to assist the college advisor with key college planning processes. Collaborating closely with your school’s college advisor, the Learning Leaders College Planning Volunteer can work one-on-one with students as they research colleges, complete applications, critique essays, register for SAT/ACT tests, and complete the FAFSA form.  To learn more about this program please review the College Planning Volunteer job description .  To request a Learning Leaders  College Planning Volunteer for your school/program, please complete the one page high school profile and return to Carla Shere via email.  For additional information about this opportunity contact Carla Shere at CShere@learningleaders.org or visit http://www.learningleaders.org/

Upcoming Events & Opportunities   

National School Counseling Week 2012, celebrated February 6-10, is sponsored by the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) to focus attention on the unique contributions of professional school counselors. This year's theme is School Counselors: Helping Students Be Brilliant. School counselors nationwide share sample activities for celebrating National School Counseling Week at the ASCAScene discussion forum.

New! Fee Waivers Opportunity: College Connections Project at the Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center provides college application fee waivers to low-
income adults age 19 and over.  The application fee waivers can be used to pay the application fees to CUNY ($65/$70) and to SUNY Empire State College ($50).  Information is available here or by calling 212-961-5853. 

New! Limited Time Opportunity - NYC Department of Education in collaboration with NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is offering school personnel a free professional development opportunity developed by Kognito Interactive. The training teaches participants how to identify, approach, and refer students who show signs of psychological distress. View event flyer here.  For general inquiries contact Scott Bloom at sbloom5@schools.nyc.gov

New! Friday, May 4, 2012-Application Deadline for the Charles Robertson Scholarship Award. Once again, this award (approximately $300) will be presented to one male student and one female student selected among eligible candidates currently attending a public high school in Brooklyn and graduating in June 2012. Access application form here.  

New! Friday, March 30, 2012 - Application Deadline for the Morris and Eve Brown Foundation Award. The Foundation once again will be presenting awards of $2,000 each to selected candidates from across the five boroughs. Schools may submit applications for up to two deserving high school seniors who meet eligibility criteria.  View additional information here.

Saturday, March 17, 2012, 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m. -22nd Annual Latino College Expo event at NYU Kimmel Student Center, 60 Washington Square South, Manhatttan. Meet with representatives from public and private colleges and learn more about the college admissions and financial aid process! Contact Information: Antonio Aponte, Ed. Director of the Boys Club of New York at Antonio.Aponte@bcny.org See event flyer.

Monday, March 5 (Brooklyn location); Wednesday, March 21 (Brooklyn location) or Friday March 23 (Bronx location). All NYC public middle schools and high schools are invited to enroll in the NYC Gifting Initiative  which provides the Overcoming Obstacles Life Skills Program free of charge. (View here Chancellor Walcott’s announcement regarding this initiative.)  To begin the enrollment process, schools must participate in an introductory workshop, where they will learn about the Overcoming Obstacles program and how to best bring life skills instruction to their students. Submit the registration template to Margarita Suero-Duran from the Office of School & Youth Development at msuerod@schools.nyc.gov to register for one of our upcoming workshops and/or contact your school’s CFN Youth Development liaison for additional information. 

New! Thursdays, March 1 - May 3, 2012, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Referrals currently being accepted for: DayOne Youth Group for Survivors of Intimate Partner Abuse. This support group provides a safe environment for young adults to talk, listen, share, and support each other as survivors of intimate partner violence. DayOne services are free and confidential. For additional information view flyer here or visit DayOne website at http://www.dayoneny.org/

New! January and February 2012 – Encourage prospective college students and their families to register here for a SUNY Statewide Student Financial Aid Day. The programs are designed to answer questions and provide assistance regarding the financial aid process.  Sessions offered in NYC include presentations in Spanish.

January/February 2012 (Dates vary for each site) Attention High School Seniors! An important step in the college application process is applying for student financial aid, using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). College Goal Sunday will host sessions at 18 locations across New York State. Plan to attend a College Goal Sunday event near you to obtain FREE, hands-on professional help with filling out your online FAFSA. This web site will help you and your family to learn important information about financial aid and getting ready for College Goal Sunday. Remember, pre-registration is required! In addition, we encourage you to seek ongoing support from your school guidance counselor and/or college advisor.

2011 -2012 - FREE ACT College & Career Readiness Workshops for high school counselors throughout New York. Online registration is required. View upcoming session information at the ACT registration webpage . 

2011-2012 - FREE CollegeBoard Webinars and Webcasts for guidance personnel, administrators, and other educators. Register today! Feature webinars:

April 11, 2012, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.- "Getting My Child to College" FREE webinar for middle and high school parents, counselors, teachers, principals, and parent coordinators providing information on preparing sudents for College and Career Readiness.For information, email msromtgs@collegeboard.org. Please register here.

March 12, 2012, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.- FREE webinar for High School counselors, teachers, principals and parent coordinators to explore the YouCanGo!” web site, a free online CollegeBoard resource to inspire lower-resourced students who want to go to college. For information, email email  msromtgs@collegeboard.org . Please register here.

2011- 2012 FREE EducationWeek webinars. For additional information, visit the Education Week webpage.  

Visit the NYC DOE Empowering Boys portal to access facts and strategies related to ongoing efforts at closing the achievement gap!

Reminder! A wide range of additional opportunities are regularly updated on the Quick Links section of the Teacher Page under PD + Student Opportunities.  

Guidance personnel are encouraged to visit the portal regularly and to contact the CFN Guidance/Youth Development Liaison for their school regarding additional opportunities that may be available through  their network.  

    Professional Associations

    Additional Resources


    Principals' Portal and Office of School & Youth Development (DOE Intranet)

    School counselors are reminded to contact their CFN Youth Development Liaison for support.
     
    We are continually updating the Guidance Portal and we welcome suggestions for improvement!
    Please e-mail comments, questions, and suggestions to guidance@schools.nyc.gov